Picture-frame



(No Model.)

J. H. HOWARD, Jr.

PICTURE FRAME Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN H. HOI/VARI), JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PICTURE-FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,864, dated August 5, 1890. I

Application led December 2, 1889. Serial No. 332,257. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN H. HOWARD, .I r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Picture-Frames and the Method of Securing the Canvas Therein, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention consists in certain features of novelty that are particularly pointed out in the claims hereinafter, a frame embodying said invention and the method of securing the canvas therein being iirst fully described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which* Y Figure l is an elevation of the back of said frame, with the canvas secured therein, portions of the frame being broken away to show rectangle, each of said pieces having in its inner rear corner arabbetf and a consequent flange f".

R represents a roller which occupies the .rabbet f, of one of the pieces of which the frame is composed, f for example,) and is journaled to the frame so as to be revoluble under certain conditions and for a purpose that will appear hereinafter. The journalbearings shown in the drawings consist of sockets or holes j and j bored in the pieces fx and f XX, respectively, near their extremities, so as to be in line with the rabbet f of the piece f. These sockets, either or both of them, may extend completely oronly partly through the pieces in which they are respectively formed. I prefer that one of them (j, for example,) should extend only lpartly through the piece in which it is formed, while the other 7' extends completely through the piece in which it is formed, so as to permit Fig. 5 is a similaraccess to one extremity of the roller for the purpose of applying thereto an implement for turning it. To this end the exposed eX- tremity of the roller is provided with an open slot or notch r for the reception of some implement of simple character-such, forexample, as an ordinary screw-driver.

To the roller Ris secured, preferably by gluing, one edge of the canvas C, the opposite edge of which is secured to the opposite side of the frame F, through the medium of a strip S, which occupies the rabbet f, of the piece f which constitutes said opposite side of said frame.

The method of securing and stretching the canvas is as follows: Said canvas being first cut to the proper size, one of its edges is secured in any desired manner to the roller R, (which latter hasA previously been properly mounted in its bearings,) and the opposite edge of said canvas is secured to the then loose strip S. The parts are then in the condition shown by Fig. 2. The strip S is then placed in the rabbct f of the side piece f of the frame, and there secured by glue, nails, screws, or any other means whatsoever. The parts are then in the condition shown by Fig. 3. The roller R is then rotated, so as to wind the canvas upon it until the slack is taken up and it acquires the desired tension. The roller is then secured, so as to prevent it from turning and unwinding the canvas. It may be secured inmany manner desired, but is preferably secured by nails or brads driven through it and into the frame F. For convenience in manipulation, these nails may be started or driven quite through the roller before any tension is put upon the canvas, so that when the rolleris brought to the desired position it will require only a blow or two on each nail to send it home.v By thus Astarting the nails, with one hand the roller may be turned and the canvas thereby stretched to the desired tension, while with the other the nails may be driven home and thus fix the roller against turning; but before the slack of the canvas is thus taken up the canvas is dampened and the slack is taken up while it is still damp. As it dries it will of course shrink, and this shrinkage will leave it perfectly fiat and as tight as may be desired. It is immaterial at what stage of the process this dampening is IOO IKS

done so long as the canvas is still damp at the time the slack is taken up. Preferably the canvas is wide enough to permit the process to be carried to the stage shown in Fig. 3 without requiring it to be previously dampened, and the dam pening is done immediately after this stage is reached and before the slack is taken up. After the stage shown by Fig. 4

is reached and the canvas is dry, nothing remains to be done but to secure in place the back board B. This board is of customary construction, narrow enough to fit between the strip S and roller R, and long enough to rest upon the flanges f" of the pieces f and fXX, to which it is secured.

The roller R is shown as circular in crosssection; but it is not absolutely essential (although it is preferable) that it be so. It may be of non-circular cross-section.

The term canvas is not herein employed in a specific sense as descriptive of the material of which the part C is made; but, on the contrary, it is employed in a very generic sense, and is intended to comprehend any sheet used for the purpose for which the sheet C is intended, whether it consists of canvas, (in a strict sense,) linen, cotton, silk, cloth, leather, paper, or any other material or fabric, textile or otherwise.

If the material of the sheet C is strong enough to need no protection the board B may be dispensed with.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. As a new article of manufacture, a picture-frame having' a roller journaled thereto behind one of the sides thereof, so as to be concealed thereby, substantially as set forth.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a frame having a rabbet in the back thereof, and a roller journaled to the frame and occupying said rabbet, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination,with the frame having the socketsjj in its opposite side pieces jX fXX,respectively, of the roller R, journaled in said sockets and situated behind one of the sides of the frame, so as to be concealed thereby, substantially as set forth.

et. The combination,with the frame having the sockets j j in its opposite side pieces fx fXX, respectively, and having the rabbet f, of

' the roller R, occupying said rabbet and journaled in said sockets,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination,with the frame having the'socketsjj in its opposite side pieces f X fxx,respectively, the socket j extending completely through the piece fx, of the roller R, j ournaled in said sockets,and end of said roller terminating Within the socket j and having provision for turning it, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination,with the frame and the canvas secured at one-of its edges to the back of the one side of the frame, of a roller journaled to the back of the oppositel side of the frame and to which the opposite edge of the canvas is secured, and means for securing said roller in any desired position, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination,with the frame and the canvas C, of the roller R, journaled to the frame and situated behind one of its sides and to which one edge of the canvas is secured,a strip S, to which the opposite edge of said canvas is secured, said strip being in turn secured to the back of the opposite side of the frame,

and means for securing said roller in any desired position, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination,with the frame having the rabbets f in its opposite side pieces f and f, of the roller R, journaled to the frame and occupying the rabbet of the side piece f', the canvas C, secured at one edge to said roller, the strip S, to which the opposite edge of 'said canvas is secured, said strip being in turn secured in the rabbet of the side piece f, and means for securing said roller in any desired position, substantially as set forth.

9. rlhe herein-described method of securing canvas in frames, which consists in securing one edge of the canvas to one side of the frame and theopposite edge to a stretcher secured to the opposite side of the frame, taking up the slack in the canvas while damp by means of the stretcher, and then securing the stretcher to prevent it from giving, the can'- vas having been dampened previous to tak in'g up the slack, substantially as set forth.

10. The herein-described method of securing canvas in frames,which consists in securing one edge of the canvas to`one side of the frame, and the opposite edge to a roller journaled to theV frame at its opposite side, winding the canvas while damp upon said roller to take up the slack, and then secu-ring said roller to prevent unwinding, the canvas hav ing been dampened previous to taking up the slack, substantially as set forth.

JOHN H. HOWARD, JR. Vitnesses:

R. C. OMoHUNDRo, L. M. HOPKINS.

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